Botsford (family)

Amos Botsford, the son of Bertha Bennett and Gideon Botsford, was born 31 January 1744 in Newtown, Connecticut. A graduate of Yale College in 1763, he studied law and practised in New Haven. In 1770 he married Sarah Chandler (1752-1820), and they had 3 children: Sarah, William, and Ann (nicknamed Nancy or Hannah). At the close of the American Revolutionary War, he emigrated with his family to what is now New Brunswick.

An original grantee of Parrtown (later Saint John), he eventually settled his family in Westmorland County, first on Dorchester Island and later at Westcock near Sackville. Botsford was appointed agent for the Lloyds Neck Associated Loyalists in 1782 and was sent to Nova Scotia to arrange for the settlement of Loyalist refugees. He also ran a large farm, practised law, and established a retail business. Active in provincial politics, Botsford ran successfully for a seat in the House of Assembly as a member for Westmorland County in the first general election in 1785. He was chosen the first Speaker of the House of Assembly, holding that post until his death in 1812. He was reelected to the House in the general elections of 1793, 1795, 1802, and 1809. He held several other prominent positions, including clerk of the peace, judge of the Inferior Court of Common Pleas, and registrar of deeds for Westmorland County. Amos Botsford died at Saint John, N.B. on 14 September 1812.

Amos and Sarah's son William Botsford was born 29 April 1773 in New Haven, Connecticut. Educated at public schools, he received a bachelor of arts degree and a master of arts degree from Yale College in 1792 and 1796 respectively. He studied law in his father's office and also in the office of Jonathan Bliss in Saint John, N.B. In 1802 he married Sarah Lowell Hazen Murray, the widow of Thomas Murray; they had eight sons and one daughter.

William Botsford was admitted to the bar of New Brunswick in 1795. He practised law in Saint John, and was named deputy clerk of the Supreme Court and deputy registrar of the Admiralty Court in 1795. Eight years later he was appointed judge of the Vice-Admiralty Court, holding that position until 1808 when he relocated to Westcock. During his life, he held a number of other prominent posts, including recorder of the city of Saint John (1810-1815), solicitor general of New Brunswick (1816-1823), registrar of deeds for Westmorland Council (1812-1823), and judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick (1823-1845).

Like his father, he was involved in provincial politics, being elected to the House of Assembly as a member for Westmorland County in 1813. He was reelected in 1816, 1819, and 1820. In 1817 he was chosen Speaker of the House of Assembly. He resigned his seat in the House and his post as Speaker in 1823 to sit on the Executive Council. In 1832 he was named vice-president in the Court of Governor and Council for hearing causes relating to marriage and divorce. William Botsford died at his home in Westcock on 8 May 1864.

Bliss Botsford (1813-1890) was the seventh son of William Botsford. He was educated at King's College in Fredericton, studied law with William End of Bathurst and practiced in Moncton from 1836 to 1870 with an extensive civil and criminal practice. Bliss Botsford represented Westmorland in the House of Assembly as a Conservative in 1851-1854, 1857-1861, and from 1865 until 24 October 1870 when he was appointed to the bench. He served as a judge in the county courts of Albert, Westmorland and Kent. He was made surveyor general in 1865, a member of the Executive Council during the administration of Hon. Albert Smith, and Speaker from 1867 until 1870. Bliss Botsford married Jane, daughter of John Chapman of Cumberland, England in 1842. They had 4 children: Sarah married William Croasdale, a civil engineer from Moncton; Eliza married George Peters, son of Dr. George Peters of Saint John; Florence married Thomas Peters of Moncton; and Robert who be [Transcript of NBM's description is broken off here]